Whenever You're Ready
by msgalinda
Summary: After their little talk under the bleachers, Rachel goes to find Quinn once more.


The door opens, and Quinn's face immediately contorts. She shakes her head as she backs away from the door, trying to shut it once more.

"No. No. No. No. No."

Rachel jumps forward and shoves her shoulder against the door. Even leaning all of her weight on it isn't enough to get Quinn to budge, but when Quinn suddenly lets the door swing open, Rachel flies forward and nearly falls to the ground. Stumbling to catch her balance, Rachel looks up and finds concerned eyes quickly hidden behind a devious smirk, and she sighs as she takes a step further into Quinn's house.

"I think you should leave," Quinn says quietly. The malice has fallen from her face, and her shoulders slump in a forced slouch.

Rachel takes a step toward her, but Quinn moves back, crossing her arms over her torso and watching Rachel carefully. Rachel changes tactics, instead holding her hand out to Quinn and watching sadly when Quinn doesn't take it. "I just want to know if you're okay," Rachel says, her eyes flicking back and forth between Quinn's. "I knew you wouldn't say anything in front of all of those girls."

"You think that just because I'm not wearing pretty dresses anymore, because I dyed my hair, that I'm not okay? Maybe the pretty blonde cheerleader isn't who I am, Rachel. Did you ever think of that?"

"Yes," Rachel nods, allowing a small smile to cross her face. "If you tell me you're more comfortable dressing like this and smoking, I'll believe you, Quinn. But I won't believe that you stopped loving Glee club."

Quinn scoffs and takes a step toward Rachel. Her combat boot smacks loudly against the floor, and Rachel takes a step back.

"I stopped loving Glee club."

Her voice is different, Rachel realizes, deeper, and there's no emotion behind it anymore.

"I don't believe you."

Quinn takes a step forward again, and slaps her hand against the door frame. The sound reverberates through Rachel's ribs, but she takes a step to the side before Quinn can back her out of the house.

"Rachel. Get. Out," Quinn seethes. Her eyes narrow and her voice shakes, and finally, Rachel sees a flicker of _something_ in Quinn's eyes. "I don't know why you want me to come back, or even why you realized I was gone, but I am not coming back. Get it through your head, or get out of my house."

Rachel takes a breath and plants her feet. And then she raises a finger at Quinn Fabray.

"You know, you haven't changed all that much this summer."

Quinn sneers at her. "You need to get your eyes checked."

"You're Quinn Fabray, and you get what you want. You wanted to drop off the face of the planet and not talk to any of us this summer? You did it. You wanted to join a crowd of girls who couldn't stand you last year? You did it. You wanted to become some new person and ignore all of the calls and texts and voicemails we left you? You did it, but your heart isn't in it."

"Fuck off, Berry," Quinn whispers as she watches Rachel sadly. "You don't know anything."

"I know you," Rachel says quietly, looking up and Quinn and nodding. "And you think you'll be fine turning your back on all of us, and that you don't need us or Glee anymore because you're bigger than that. You _are_ bigger than Glee, Quinn, but that doesn't mean you don't need the people in it. We're your friends, Quinn, and we spent the whole summer missing you. We'll wait for you, for as long as you need."

Rachel finishes with a whisper and watches a tear trail down Quinn's cheek. Quinn takes a step forward, a quiet one, and skims her fingers down Rachel's arm. Her hand drops listlessly to her side, and when she looks back up at Rachel, the brunette is looking at her with an expression she's never seen before.

When Quinn speaks again, her voice is deep, and so soft, Rachel can barely hear it.

"How many times did you say 'we' when you meant to say 'I'?"

Rachel's brow furrows, and she takes a step back, watching Quinn carefully. Her jaw trembles. "W-what?"

Quinn laughs and shakes her head. "Go home, Rachel."

"But Quinn, are you-"

"I'm fine," Quinn says, rolling her eyes as she reaches for the door. "I'll see you in school."

Rachel sputters for a moment and looks up at Quinn one last time before she nods. Rachel turns around at the steps and smiles, defeated. "Whenever you're- There will always be a spot for you."

Quinn watches as Rachel walks down the steps, but when she gets to the walkway, she turns again. The brunette hesitates, and then offers Quinn a tentative smile.

"I- I'll wait for you."

And then she's gone. Quinn closes the door and smiles.


End file.
